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The inter-club players’ transfer took a festive mood on Wednesday when popular Mohammedan Sporting Club came to the market with band party and drummers leading them to the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
   The officials and players including their star signings Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Ashraful, Mahmudullah and Aftab Ahmed came to the stadium riding on three horse-drawn carts bringing the much- needed life to the otherwise dull transfer of the cricketers.
   The club, who are without a Dhaka Premier League since 2001, signed as many as 11 players on the second day of the transfer. They also managed to retain three players from the last season while three others signed before leaving home to play for the Bangladesh A team.
   The biggest signing of the club was perhaps national opener Tamim Iqbal, who dramatically left Abahani to join their arch-rivals. The transfer of Tamim forced the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis to arrange additional security.
   Tamim, however, said he has no grudge against Abahani and will play for the club in future if he gets a chance.
   ‘I have seen a great team spirit in Abahani last season which was one of the reasons for them to be champions. I want us to show the same spirit in order to regain the trophy,’ said Tamim, who was elated by the reception of Mohammedan supporters.
   ‘It’s great to come here (at the transfer market) in this way. I have never experienced it in my life,’ added Tamim.
   Mohammad Ashraful, another star signing of the club, said everybody has to give their 100 per cent to regain the trophy. Ashraful believed a healthy competition between the ICL returnees and the national team players can only help the side.
   Mohammedan have only one ICL player in Aftab Ahmed who seemed relieved having been able to return to mainstream cricket. Before coming to the transfer market Aftab had his first practice alongside the other players in a year.
   ‘I had to practice alone for almost a year. I can’t express how painful it was. Now I want to start afresh and hopefully I will be able to show the kind of form that is required to return to the national team,’ said Aftab.
   Former national captain Khaled Mashud will lead Mohammedan this season, confirmed the club officials. Mashud left Surjo Tarun to join the club after almost a decade.
   Dhiman Ghosh, who took his place at Surjo Tarun, is hoping to regain his place in the national team. Dhiman was a regular member of the one-day squad and was waiting for his Test cap when retired from international cricket to join the ICL.
   He became further controversial for his comment that he has returned everything to the nation that he got from it. When it was pointed out to him at the transfer market, Dhiman was regretful.
   ‘It was a misunderstanding. I said sorry for my comments. Hopefully I will be able to play for the national team again,’ said the wicketkeeper. Apart from Dhiman, Surjo Tarun also signed three ICL players in Tapash Baishya, Habibul Bashar and Monjurul Islam, which was the other highlight of the second day.

Brave New Zealand shrugged off an injury crisis to defeat England by four wickets at the Wanderers on Tuesday and join them in the Champions Trophy semi-finals.
   The victory completed a stirring Group B comeback by the Black Caps, who also overcame Sri Lanka after tamely surrendering to hosts South Africa in their opening match.
   New Zealand came first ahead of England on net run rate after finishing with four points each with Sri Lanka and hosts South Africa eliminated having gained two points apiece.
   Group A will be settled on Wednesday with leaders Pakistan and second-placed Australia favoured to advance to the knockout phase at the expense of India and the West Indies.
   Bowlers Grant Elliott and Shane Bond inflicted most damage after the Kiwis won the toss and an England team that amassed 323 against South Africa just 48 hours earlier were bundled out for 146 in 43.1 overs.
   New Zealand openers Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill made a whirlwind start in pursuit of the total, harvesting 66 from 60 balls, and the 147-run target was reached for the loss of six wickets after 27.1 overs.
   ‘It was a great all-round performance from our second must-win match in a row. Brendon (McCullum) and Martin (Guptill) started the innings superbly and that helped us survive a few hiccups,’ said winning captain Daniel Vettori.
   Opposite number Andrew Strauss replied: ‘It was not a great wicket for one-day cricket but we beat Sri Lanka here so that is the way it goes. We needed some luck but full credit to New Zealand for winning.’
   Paul Collingwood, Ravi Bopara and tail-enders Graeme Swann and Ryan Sidebottom were the only England batsmen to reach double figures on an overcast afternoon. If New Zealand were cursing their luck at losing bowlers Jacob Oram and Daryl Tuffey and batsman Jesse Ryder through injury since the two-week tournament began, they were not showing it.
   Inspirational skipper Strauss was first to depart, getting on an outside edge off Kyle Mills to wicketkeeper McCullum having faced just two balls and failed to score.
   Joe Denly was next to experience the venom of the Black Caps attack, scoring just five before reacting too slow and Shane Bond sent the off stump flying to his relief after two previous games yielded a solitary wicket.
   Owais Shah, 98-run hero of the triumph over South Africa, survived a mere 10 balls and hit three runs before he tried to flick Bond over square leg and sent a thick edge to McCullum.
   At 27-3 stunned England got a reprieve when New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori reversed a run-out decision against Collingwood, who went on to top score with 40 before an excellent Ross Taylor catch terminated his innings.
   Collingwood was one of four England batsmen who fell to South Africa-born right-arm medium pacer Grant Elliott, whose 4-31 off eight overs was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers and earned the man of the match award.
   England wickets fell regularly and cheaply with the exception of 30-run Ravi Bopara until tail-ender Ryan Sidebottom struck three boundaries in a defiant 20 before Taylor caught him off Vettori to conclude the innings. New Zealand reached 84 in 12.3 overs before England made a breakthrough as McCullum hopelessly mistimed a Stuart Broad delivery and Bopara took the catch at cover.
   Another six overs passed before England could celebrate again as the 53-run stand of Guptill finished when he got a thick edge to a clever James Anderson delivery and Graeme Swann caught him at first slip.

Newcomers Biyanibazar SC continued their dream run in the Citycell Federation Cup as they thrashed a fancied Sheikh Russell 3-0 to seal a last-eight place in the curtain raiser tournament at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Wednesday.
   Biyanibazar, who drew inspiration from their opening 1-0 win over Farashganj, were dominating the game from the very beginning and they cornered Sheikh Russell with their all-out efforts. Russell ran out of gas in the second half to concede three goals as the contributions of their Ghanaian duo, Md Abdulai and Abbas Inusah, were not up to the mark. Moreover, Abdulai left the field with an injury before the interval leaving a big hole in midfield.
   In contrast, Mohammed Lamine Soumah and Mohammed Conte Bangura, the two African players of Biyanibazar, raised their level in the second half and that was too much for Sheikh Russell.
   Tricky Biyanibazar allowed their opponents to run in their territory in the opening minutes and Sheikh Russell were found lacking the biting teeth. Rajon Miah and Md Rony, the striker duo, were unable to stamp their authority. Both the teams carried out a number of attacks but failed to find a goal. In the 44th minute Rony broke through the Biyanibazar defence but a timely sliding tackle from Ashraful saved his team from conceding a goal.
   Biyanibazar took the lead in the 49th minute as skipper Faisal Mahmood rushed down the flank and provided a nice cross to unmarked Sohel Rana who had just to push the ball into the empty net. Lamine Soumah made two unpardonable mistakes in the 62nd and 63rd minutes depriving his team of a bigger victory. On the first occasion he took too much time to take a shot allowing two defenders to block him and on the second he surprisingly lost control of the ball enabling Himel snatch it ball from his feet.
   But their frustration was short-lived as midfielder Rashed Pappu blasted the second goal from the middle of the box after a combined attack. Russell threatened the opposition defence with a series of attacks but Abdullah Parvez’s long-range effort and Nurul Afsar’s grounder missed the target.
   A frustrated Russell conceded the third in the penultimate minute as Lamine Soumah set Toufiq Hasan free with a clever through pass and the midfielder made no mistake to hit the back of the net.
   Sheikh Russell, who beat Army 8-1 in their first match, will meet Farashganj in the last group match.
   In the other match of the day, Bangladesh Army bounced back to victory with a 3-0 win over Farashganj at the same venue. Azmol Hossain scored the first for the Army team in the 21st minute, Shahin Miah doubled the margin in the 33rd minute and Tutul Mina scored the third in the 73rd minute to dump Farashganj out of the tourney.

Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez slammed his side for a shambolic showing after they compromised their hopes of advancing to the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 2-0 loss Tuesday at Group E rivals Fiorentina.
   The five-time European champions had done the minimum in seeing off Hungary’s Debrecen to open their campaign at Anfield but the English Premiership giants were undone by two first-half goals from teen Montenegrin striker Stevan Jovetic.
   With French side Lyon crushing Debrecen 4-0 away they now lead the group and can travel to Anfield for their next game full of confidence.
   Benitez said Liverpool had to pull their socks up if they wanted to advance.
   ‘If you want to win you have to score. We were not the best in any part of the pitch. We were giving the ball away all the time,’ he told Sky Sports.
   Arsenal gave the English contingent some cheer with a 2-0 home win over Olympiakos of Greece with Robin Van Persie and Andrei Arshavin on the mark after the break as coach Arsene Wenger vowed to wrap up passage to the last 16 ‘as quickly as possible.’
   Group H rivals AZ Alkmaar and Standard Liege, whom the pool-topping Gunners have already seen off away, parted 1-1.
   But Scottish fans suffered a horror show as Rangers, having started with a gutsy draw at Germany’s Stuttgart, went down 4-1 at home to a rampant Sevilla of Spain in Group G.
   Stuttgart again drew, this time at Romania’s Unirea Urziceni, who held them 1-1.
   In stark contrast to woeful Liverpool, Lyon were on fire in Budapest.
   Kim Kallstrom scored after just three minutes, firing a half volley home following a Miralem Pjanic corner from the left and the French doubled their lead when Pjanic netted a free-kick after 13 minutes.
   Lyon were running riot and Sidney Govou headed in a third on 24 minutes after another Pjanic corner-kick routine caused havoc in the home backline.
   Bafetimbi Gomis lobbed home the fourth after the break.
   ‘I think we made the game look easy,’ concluded Lyon coach Claude Puel.
   Liverpool preferred to make things hard for themselves as Fiorentina stepped through the gears to bounce back from their loss at Lyon.
   And the Italians earned swift reward when Montenegrin striker Jovetic, only starting in the absence of the suspended Alberto Gilardino, stunned the visitors with two goals inside nine minutes on his competition debut.
   Cristiano Zanetti picked him out with a neat through ball and Jovetic, who netted Saturday’s winner in Serie A at Livorno, slipped the ball expertly past keeper Pepe Reina after 28 minutes.
   The 19-year-old then struck again on 37 minutes, nudging home instinctively as Juan Vargas fed him from out on the left flank.
   Lucas Leiva headed millimetres over as Liverpool tried to rally after the interval but they never looked capable of a comeback of the kind they produced to come back from three goals down in the 2005 final in beating AC Milan on spot-kicks. Holders Barcelona, having held Group F rivals Inter Milan in Italy in their first game, swatted Dynamo Kiev with Lionel Messi bagging the opener and Pedro Rodriguez hitting the clincher.
   ‘That’s a really important win for us – it’s crucial to win your home matches,’ said Pedro afterwards. In the same group Jose Mourinho’s Inter could only manage a 1-1 draw at Russian newcomers Kazan, who had the temerity to take an early lead courtesy of Argentine striker Alejandro Dominguez’s meaty drive.
   Inter levelled after 25 minutes, with the unmarked Dejan Stankovic heading in but were grateful to survive the final half hour with 10 men for a point after striker Mario Balotelli was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
   Mourinho’s men are now third in the table two points behind Barca and one adrift of Kiev.

The Bangladesh U-16 football team left for the Philippines on Wednesday to participate in the AFC U-16 Group E qualifiers.
   The poorly-prepared side promised to fight against Japan, Indonesia, the Chinese Taipei and hosts Philippines in the group league. Coach Bayezid Zubair Nipu was reluctant to set a target. ‘We are not well prepared for the meet. However, we have some talented players who will gain a good experience and we will fight for a decent result,’ said Nipu. BFF member Fazlur Rahman Babul is the team leader and former national footballer Zakir Hossain is the team manager.
   Squad: Yousuf Sifat, Yasin Khan, Anik Barman, Sajjadul Aman, Nadim Mahmud, Topu Barman, Sohel Rana, Omar Faruk, Farhadur Zaman, Sheikh Ali Hasan, Awlad Rab, Md Rabbi, Md Al Amin, Kazi Ashikur Rahman, Azizur Rahman, Md Jintu, Rafi Rahman, Md Nasiruddin and Nurunnabi Masum.

Five swimmers of Bangladesh Army joined the SA Games swimming camp on Wednesday, ending a week long impasse, said the officials of the Bangladesh Swimming Federation.
   The camp could not be started fully earlier as the eight Army swimmers had declined to join the camp.
   The camp was situated at the Army swimming complex but later it was shifted to the Mirpur National Swimming Complex after the Eid-ul-Fitr vacation. The Army swimmers did not join the camp that frustrated the Korean coach who wanted immediate presence of the swimmers.

Australia restricted Pakistan to 205-6 off 50 overs after winning the toss in a crucial Champions Trophy game at SuperSport Park Wednesday.
   Victory will lift defending champions Australia to the top of Group A and secure a semi-final against England at the same venue Friday in pursuit of the two-million-dollar first prize. Pakistan are already assured of a place in the knockout phase and if they lose this match will face surprise Group B winners New Zealand at the Wanderers Saturday.
   Boasting the only 100 percent record in the competition, Pakistan never got going against an impressive Australian attack led by Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson.
   They took two wickets each with Brett Lee and James Hopes snatching the others as Pakistan struggled to recapture the form that yielded 302 runs against fierce rivals India at the same venue last Saturday.
   Mohammed Yousuf (45), opener Kamran Akmal (44) and Misbah-ul-Haq (41) were the only batsmen to make any impact with skipper Younus Khan out after making just 18 off 49 deliveries.

Iain O’Brien has replaced injured Daryl Tuffey in the New Zealand Champions Trophy squad, the International Cricket Council said Wednesday.
   The Blacks Caps, who defied the odds to reach the semi-finals of the two-week tournament in South Africa, have been ravaged by injuries, losing Tuffey, fellow bowler Jacob Oram and opening batsman Jesse Ryder.
   James Franklin quit an English county championship match to replace Oram and Aaron Redmond filled the gap created by Ryder, whose 74 against Sri Lanka triggered a Kiwi revival in the mini-World Cup.
   O’Brien, a 33-year-old right-arm medium-fast bowler and right-hand batsman, plays for the Wellington Firebirds. He has made 147 one-day appearances for his country.

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said he opted to give England batsman Paul Collingwood a life ‘in the spirit of the game’ as the Black Caps won by four wickets with 22.5 overs to spare in a Champions Trophy clash at the Wanderers on Tuesday.
   Having left a Kyle Mills delivery, Collingwood strolled out of his crease and New Zealand wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum threw down his stumps, with the third umpire giving him out.
   But after pleading with Vettori, who later admitted ‘it was probably out under the laws of the game’, Collingwood, who was on 14 and went on to make 40, was allowed to remain.
   ‘I think it’s one of those situations that we had a little bit of time to think about it with it going up to the third umpire,’ Vettori said.
   ‘I deliberated with team-mates and the umpires out there. In the end there was no intention of making a run from Paul, he just wandered out of his crease, and it was just a lot easier to call him back and get on with the game.’
   England captain Andrew Strauss, who last week called back Angelo Mathews in another sporting gesture at the Wanderers after the Sri Lankan had been adjudged run out, commended Vettori for the decision.
   ‘I’ve got to applaud Daniel Vettori,’ said Strauss. ‘I think it was the right decision, but it was obviously a tough decision to make as a captain when your future in the tournament is on the line.’
   England disappointed against an impressive New Zealand attack and were bowled out for 146 after losing the toss and being sent in to bat.
   Man-of-the-match Grant Elliott, returning a career-best 4-31 to lead the Black Caps charge, was ably assisted by Shane Bond, who regained his form after two poor outings to capture three wickets.
   And while the Kiwi middle order crumbled, openers Martin Guptill (53 off 55) and McCullum (48 from 39) raced to an 84-run stand that ultimately took the game away from England.
   Strauss admitted they had been defeated by a class outfit on a track not conducive to batting.
   ‘We were soundly beaten today,’ he said. ‘The wicket obviously did a lot early on and as a batsman you needed some luck to survive. All credit to the New Zealand bowlers.’
   He also applauded Guptill and McCullum.
   ‘They were able to score the bulk of the runs very quickly and by the time we were able to exert some pressure, it was too late,’ admitted Strauss.

Kevin Pietersen has revealed his surgically-treated Achilles has yet to completely heal, and faces a ‘difficult time-scale’ to be fit for the opening stages of England’s winter tour of South Africa. Pietersen had initially hoped to take part in the Champions Trophy after his right Achilles was operated on in July, but an infection a month later set back his recovery time considerably.
   Speaking to Sky Sports, Pietersen said the healing process had been frustrating, but expressed confidence that he would be able to return to training within a fortnight. ‘I am trying to get as fit as possible as quick as I can.
   I have had a few setbacks and I am really frustrated. It will be a couple of weeks before it totally heals over - the next 10 to 14 days - then I can start working really hard.

Holders Barcelona recorded their first Champions League win of the new campaign with goals from Lionel Messi and substitute Pedro securing a 2-0 win over Dinamo Kiev at Camp Nou on Tuesday.
   After a perfect five wins in the league Barca kick-started their European defence and replace Kiev at the top of Group F on four points after Inter Milan drew 1-1 with Rubin Kazan.
   Argentine Messi, top-scorer in last season’s Champions League with nine goals, scored Barca’s first goal after 25 minutes before substitute Pedro, the latest hope from the club’s youth team, added a second to bring up a scoreline that still didn’t reflect their dominance.
   ‘I was fortunate enough to score and just hope it is not the last,’ said Pedro. ‘I have to take advantage of the minutes I get in this team and try to make my mark.
   ‘It is important to get a first win in the Champions League so we can relax a bit and be at the top of the table although we still have to keep on working hard and winning.’
   With French international striker Thierry Henry out injured, Spanish international Andres Iniesta, Barcelona’s Champions League semi-final hero against Chelsea last season, made his first start since the 2-0 final win over Manchester United in May.
   After several months out with a thigh injury Iniesta has been bedded in slowly with substitute appearances but he looked razor-sharp and had a penalty shout turned down on the quarter-hour mark after he went down after having his shirt tugged.
   Dinamo, semi-finalists in 1999, went close themselves though when Barca’s Brazilian defender Dani Alves had to shuffle his feet quickly to clear a ball zipped across the penalty area.
   ‘Because of our ambition we always want to improve,’ said Alves. ‘Sometimes in the Champions League we give teams some chances on the counter attack and one day our rivals will be more clinical and give us a fright.’
   With 25 minutes gone Barca registered their first Champions League goal in this season’s competition and, predictably, it was Messi who scored it.
   The Argentine, who has been scoring freely in the league, drifted inside with a burst of pace and before the Kiev defence had time to react he had curled a trademark finish into the corner.
   A minute later Zlatan Ibrahimovic produced a vintage pass for Messi but the chance went begging and when the pair reversed roles shortly afterwards Ibrahimovic saw his chip blocked.
   The two stars have struck up a real rapport despite having just started playing together and were carving a hapless Kiev open at will.
   In contrast, former AC Milan striking icon Andriy Shevchenko, celebrating his 33rd birthday, was starved of service up front for the away side.
   A youthful Shevchenko scored a first-half hat-trick for Kiev in a 4-0 group stage win over Barcelona at Camp Nou back in November 1997 but he didn’t have a look-in this time around as Barca controlled proceedings.
   In the second half Ibrahimovic and Messi resumed their torture of the Kiev defence and both had chances to score in the first five minutes after the interval.
   After 67 minutes Ibrahimovic was denied again as his drilled shot was well saved after a great run and pass from Seydou Keita.
   The second goal finally came in the 76th minute with the ubiquitous Ibrahimovic setting up subsitute Pedro to slot home after neatly shifting the ball onto his left foot.
   Barcelona sit a point above Kiev at the top, with Inter Milan two points back in third, and the champions’ next match is against Rubin Kazan on October 20.

Italian champions Inter Milan were held to a 1-1 draw in their second Champions League group stage match at Russian champions Rubin Kazan on Tuesday.
   Argentine striker Alejandro Dominguez scored a superb opener for the hosts, who chalked up their first point in the Champions League, while Serbian midfielder Dejan Stankovic was on target for Inter.
   ‘I wish we could get more points from two matches but everything goes as it goes,’ Inter manager Jose Mourinho said after his side were left on two points from two draws in Group F which also includes Barcelona and Dynamo Kiev.
   ‘Kazan’s good playing was not a surprise for me. They performed very spectacular football in front of their home crowd.
   ‘Rubin could win but we also had chances to clinch three points. In general I’m satisfied with the result.’
   The hosts, playing their first ever Champions League game on home turf, made a lively start and Inter, who had three wins and one defeat in six previous matches against Russian opposition, were initially content to sit back.
   Their cautiousness backfired in the 11th minute, when the mercurial Domeadinguez received a pass from Alexander Bukharov before dribbling past two Inter defenders and firing a rising shot into the roof of the net past Julio Cesar.
   Jose Mourinho’s side responded positively, creating several scoring opportunities, but Kazan’s Spanish defender Cesar Navas spurned a clear-cut chance to extend his side’s lead when he headed Dominguez’s cross wide from close range.
   Inter levelled after 25 minutes, with the unmarked Stankovic heading home Maicon’s precise centre from the right flank.
   Roared on by a capacity 25,000 crowd, Kazan took the game to their illustrious opponents in the second period and their hopes of victory were boosted when Inter striker Mario Balotelli was sent off for a second bookable offence just after the hour-mark.
   The Italian champions found themselves pinned back in the game’s last 10 minutes and Kazan skipper Sergei Semak came inches away from securing all three points when his right-footed effort from the edge of the six-yard box struck Julio Cesar’s left-hand post and rebounded to safety.
   ‘We played with courage and discipline but unfortunately missed our chances in the second half,’ Rubin coach Kurban Berdyev said. ‘I’m happy with my players’ creative performance tonight but a little bit upset with the result.
   ‘We need to keep on working hard to keep alive our chances for a place in the play-offs.’

Captain Michael Ballack faces a race against time to be fit for Germany’s key World Cup qualifier in Moscow against Russia in 10 days time after picking up a calf strain.
   The 33-year-old is out of Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Cyprus side APOEL FC on Wednesday and has stayed in London before the Germany squad gathers in Mainz on Sunday for the crucial Moscow match, Bild reported Wednesday.
   Ballack who has already missed Chelsea’s league cup win over Queens Park Rangers and the 3-1 Premier League defeat to Wigan Athletic last weekend, has sat out the trip to Nicosia as a precaution.
   The midfielder has a history of calf trouble after being struck by lower leg complaints at the 2006 World Cup and again just before the Euro 2008 final, although he was fit enough to lead his side in the 1-0 defeat to Spain.
   Germany coach Joachim Low is to announce his squad on Friday for the tie in Moscow and the final World Cup qualifier against Finland in Hamburg on October 14.
   And he says he will have no problem selecting Bayern Munich stars Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose as his first-choice strikers, despite their recent lack of matches.
   Neither Gomez nor Klose started for Bayern in the 1-0 defeat at league leaders Hamburg on Saturday, but Low insists it has not hampered their chances of facing Russia on October 10.
   ‘For the moment it doesn’t concern me, because I see that all the players in the squad are getting regular match practice,’ said Low.
   ‘Both are fit and both are scoring goals, so I know what they can do.’

Robin van Persie rewarded Arsenal’s patience as the Gunners finally shattered Olympiakos’s stubborn resistance to claim a 2-0 win in the Champions League on Tuesday.
   Arsene Wenger’s side dominated the Group H clash at the Emirates Stadium from start to finish, but were frustrated until 12 minutes from full-time by a superb display from Antonis Nikopolidis.
   Greek goalkeeper Nikopolidis made a series of fine saves to keep Arsenal at bay until Dutch striker Van Persie slotted home and then Andrei Arshavin notched the second to give the scoreline a more realistic look.
   Wenger will become the longest serving manager in Arsenal’s history on Thursday when his tenure in north London stretches to 13 years and this was the perfect way to celebrate that milestone.
   His team produced the kind of eye-catching play that Wenger loves and more importantly maintained their winning start to the group stage.
   Wenger said: ‘I am very happy. We had a great first half and outstanding quality but unfortunately we couldn’t take advantage of it.
   ‘It was difficult to maintain that pace and quality for 90 minutes but overall I think we dominated from the first minute until the last.
   ‘We kept composure and we always played with the desire to keep discipline in the team. We have matured and a game like that shows that.’
   Olympiakos boss Zico launched a furious rant at the officals for allowing Arshavin’s strike, which looked offside, and even claimed that French referee Stephane Lannoy and his two French linesman shouldn’t have taken charge of the game because Arsenal have a French manager and players.
   ‘I think there was a lack of sensitivity. We had three French officials with a French coach of the opposing team and many French players. Maybe we could have had officials from another country. I don’t want to talk about only this but I think it should be taken into account,’ Zico said.
   ‘It is only a comment. I don’t think they were biased but a goal was offside. We always hope it is just a mistake.’
   Arsenal’s movement off the ball was too much for Olympiakos’s statuesque defence and should have led to a goal in the 13th minute.
   Gael Clichy made a perfectly timed run down the left and his cutback from the touchline gave Arshavin the chance to force a smart stop from Nikopolidis.
   Wenger’s side went even closer moments later. A mesmerising exchange between van Persie and Arshavin cut open the Greek defence and Cesc Fabregas drove a fierce strike onto the crossbar. Van Persie seized on the rebound and fed Tomas Rosicky, only for Nikopolidis to push away his shot.
   At 38 years old Nikopolidis is well into the twilight of his career, but he was keeping Olympiakos in the match almost single-handedly and denied Arshavin again, this time low down at his near post.
   Arshavin seemed to induce mass panic in the Olympiakos back-four whenever the Russian ran at them and chances continued to flow.
   Arshavin’s incisive pass gave Fabregas a clear sight of goal but Nikopolidis came to the rescue once more as he repelled the Spaniard’s shot.
   Twice in quick succession, Van Persie tricked Raul Bravo to such an extent that the left-back was left flat on his back, but the Dutch forward’s finish was too tame to beat Nikopolidis.
   Olympiakos finally caused Arsenal hearts to flutter just after half-time when Olof Mellberg’s header looped goalwards before young Italian keeper Vito Mannone clawed it to safety.
   Arsenal’s response was immediate and Van Persie took Emmanuel Eboue’s pass in stride before forcing another good save from Nikopolidis.
   When he kept out van Persie’s snapshot, Arsenal’s frustration grew.
   But Wenger sent on Croatia forward Eduardo and Mexican striker Carlos Vela in a final attempt to break down the Olympiakos rearguard.
   The move paid dividends immediately as Eduardo combined with Van Persie to break the deadlock in the 78th minute.
   Fabregas started the move with a glorious pass to Eduardo and the Croatian timed his cutback perfectly for Van Persie to sweep past Nikopolidis at last.
   That broke Olympiakos once and for all and Arshavin, standing in what looked an offside position, cleverly back-heeled in Fabregas’s cross to seal the victory in the 86th minute.

Michael Owen has made his pitch for inclusion in England’s World Cup squad by insisting he is just as good a player now as he was when he scored a a hat-trick in a famous 5-1 win over Germany in Munich eight years ago.
   The leading English striker of his generation has not played for his country since March 2008 and England’s head coach, Fabio Capello, has made it clear he will have to be starting regularly for Manchester United if he is to win a recall in time for next year’s finals in South Africa.
   Owen accepts that the exceptional pace he used to score one of the great World Cup goals, as an 18-year-old against Argentina at France in 1998, has gone.
   But he claims that did not prevent him from scoring that memorable hat-trick in Germany eight years ago and that he has been steadily honing his craft ever since.
   ‘I am not slower now than I was seven, eight years ago — no chance,’ Owen told The Times.
   ‘With the hamstring problems early in my career, they knocked a yard off my pace straightaway, but since then I have been the same player and if anything I have improved.
   ‘Game awareness is a good word for it. A lot of it is so instinctive it’s hard to put down. It is your experience taking you into areas. You think, ‘Would I have moved there as a kid, would I have anticipated that?’’
   Owen believes his prominence as a teenager is now counting against him as he has been around so long, many observers assume he is nearing the end of his career.
   ‘People think I’m past my thirties, I’m in my forties, the way they talk about me. I’m only 29. I’m not past it.’
   Capello is due to announce his squad for England’s last two World Cup qualifiers, against the Ukraine and Belarus, on Sunday and it would be a major surprise if Owen was included.
   The Italian regards the combination of Emile Heskey’s physical presence and Wayne Rooney’s guile as his best option in attack and has been reluctant to pair Rooney with strikers in the Owen mould, such as the on-form Jermain Defoe.
   The likes of Darren Bent and Gabriel Agbonlahor are also ahead of Owen in the pecking order at the moment.
   ‘It’s not an easy squad to get into with the results the team are getting at the minute,’ Owen acknowledged. ‘But I’m as passionate as ever about extending my time with England.’
   For that to happen, the former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle man knows that he has to play far more regularly, and do enough to catch the eye of Capello, who has yet to have a conversation with Owen about his prospects of returning.
   If Owen does make it to South Africa, he believes he will be part of a squad with a ‘cracking shot’ at winning the World Cup, provided they get the required breaks..
   ‘Football is like chess nowadays: one slip, it’s stalemate and, ‘right, who’s the best at penalties?’ You might just have to beat Spain or Brazil on penalties and you have won the World Cup.’

Belea-guered Argentina coach Diego Maradona on Tuesday sought divine intervention as he pondered his side’s chances of reaching the World Cup finals after some recent poor showings, notably a home loss to Brazil.
   ‘The bearded one (God) saved me many times before - and I hope he will do so this time,’ Maradona told Cadena 3 radio.
   The 1986 world champion famously dubbed his first quarter-final goal in that year’s competition the work of the ‘Hand of God’ after he slam-dunked the ball past Peter Shilton in the England goal before a brilliant second individual effort settled the encounter.
   But as coach he is struggling to keep Argentina afloat after recent losses to Brazil and Paraguay, and the albiceleste now lie fifth in the continental group, one place below the final qualifying berth.
   Next week the team take on Peru at home before a final make-or-break match away to Uruguay in Montevideo.
   ‘We have to get it into our heads that these two games are crucial to our hopes and we can’t keep giving things away such as we did against Brazil,’ said Maradona.
   Maradona, who recently went on a slimming course in Italy, where he formerly starred with Napoli, said that while he was over there fans had told him ‘a World Cup without Argentina just wouldn’t be the same’.
   He responded: ‘Don’t worry, Argentina will be there.’

Cristiano Ronaldo is under attack from a witch who has been hired to inflict a serious injury on the Real Madrid star.
   It is claimed that a famous figure who knows the winger well has hired the practitioner to cast a voodoo spell.
   ‘I have nothing against this grand club,’ wrote the anonymous witch in a letter to the El Mundo newspaper. ‘I am a professional and get paid very well for using my powers.
   ‘I have been contracted so Cristiano Ronaldo suffers a serious injury. I can’t promise that will be, but I can say he will be injured for more time than he plays.
   ‘The person who has contracted me is famous, and knows the player personally.’
   Madrid have shrugged off the claims, with a spokesman describing it as ‘a stupid thing just like all the others Madrid comes across every day’.
   Meanwhile, the former Manchester United star’s namesake - Brazil legend Ronaldo - says he has no qualms about seeing Madrid’s new No 9 running around in his old jersey.
   ‘I’ve seen that he’s taken my number and my name,’ said the Corinthians striker. ‘I like that. He has a name too, so he could choose what he wanted.
   ‘Tell him he can do very well with that shirt and with that number. He is a very great player. It goes without saying how important he is and how well he plays football.’
   Madrid have also announced a huge new shirt sponsorship deal with gambling website Bwin believed to be worth £21million a year through to 2013. It marks an increase of about £5m a year.

Genoa’s trip to Valencia is the pick of the matches in the Europa League this evening, while a host of big-name clubs are looking to bounce back from surprise defeats in their opening games.
   The revamped version of the UEFA Cup kicked off a fortnight ago, with Genoa stealing a march on Group B rivals Valencia by beating Slavia Prague 2-0 at home while the Spanish heavyweights were being held to a 1-1 draw at Lille.
   Both sides go into their meeting at the Mestalla with enviable records in European competition.
   Valencia, UEFA Cup champions in 2004, are on a 13-match unbeaten streak in continental tournaments, while Genoa have not lost away from home in UEFA competition since a defeat to Real Oviedo in September 1991.
   Genoa, currently sixth in Serie A, and Valencia, seventh in La Liga, were two of the pre-tournament favourites and the Spanish side’s Dutch defender Hedwiges Maduro anticipates a tactical tussle.
   ‘It’s important, because we are playing at home and we must win the game,’ said the 24-year-old. ‘Otherwise we will have one point and they will have six, so it’s an important match. They are going to be waiting for us to make mistakes, and I think it will be a little bit like a chess match. But we are also going to attack, because we want to win.’
   The Europa League has garnered headlines due to the trialling of extra officials behind the goal-line at each end of the pitch, but the tournament’s opening day was also notable for a series of shock results.
   Italian giants Roma went down 2-0 at Swiss underdogs Basel in Group E, while their city rivals Lazio were undone by an injury-time Marc Janko winner in a 2-1 defeat at home to FC Salzburg in Group G.
   Both sides face opposition from the capital of Bulgaria on Thursday, with Roma hosting CSKA Sofia and Lazio visiting Levski Sofia.
   German league leaders Hamburg will attempt to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat at Rapid Vienna when they host Israeli side Hapoel Tel-Aviv, who came from behind to beat Celtic 2-1 in their Group C opener.
   Rapid’s trip to Celtic Park on Thursday has been mired in controversy after the Austrians announced plans to wear a special red strip to commemorate a fiery clash between the sides in the 1984 European Cup Winners’ Cup.
   Celtic won the tie on aggregate but a replay was ordered after Rapid’s players claimed to have been struck by missiles thrown from the crowd, allowing current Rapid coach Peter Pacult to score the winning goal in the replay at Old Trafford.
   ‘We had other options knocked back by UEFA so we thought it would be good to wear the all-red strip for the first time since the game in Manchester - but it’s not aimed at upsetting Celtic,’ said Rapid spokesman Sharif Shoukry.
   Elsewhere, Premier League representatives Everton travel to Belarus to play BATE Borisov, while last season’s UEFA Cup runners-up Werder Bremen visit Athletic Bilbao in Group L.
   Toulouse’s Group J meeting with Club Brugge, meanwhile, is likely to be a sombre affair, following the death of one of the French club’s fans on Tuesday after an attack by rival supporters prior to their 3-2 victory at Partizan Belgrade.
   The Europa League’s group phase sees 12 groups of four teams face off in a round-robin format, with the top two from each group qualifying for a place in the knockout round alongside the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League group stage.

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Wayne Rooney is close to forcing his way into the top bracket of world footballers.
   The 23-year-old England striker is set to make his 50th Champions League appearance for United against German champions Wolfsburg at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
   The match will mark the fifth anniversary of Rooney announcing his arrival at United with a European debut hat-trick in the 6-2 win over Fenerbahce in September 2004.
   The former Everton forward has taken on plenty of extra responsibility since Cristiano Ronaldo left for Real Madrid in the summer.
   Rooney played much of last season on the left of midfield but has responded to being moved into a more central area with a fine run of form.
   He has managed six goals already this season and Ferguson thinks the striker is on the verge of being able to be compared favourably with the likes of Ronaldo, Kaka and Lionel Messi.
   Ferguson said: ‘He’s blessed with certain ingredients that only great footballers have. It’s the determination and hunger to win every match, every time he goes on the field, every training session.
   ‘He’s blessed with that and it’ll never change for him. They’re wonderful things to take into football.
   ‘We sometimes wonder with the criticism about what footballers get paid but when you see that effort he puts in, he’s worth every penny he’s paid because he plays as if he means it.
   ‘He’s been playing more central and he’ll play centrally against Wolfsburg. But he’s a funny animal, he says he’s a good centre half. I wouldn’t bet against that.
   ‘He tells me he’s a coach already, and a manager and a referee!
   ‘He’s got great desire and he can’t put that down. It’s always there.
   ‘There are some great footballers out there like Kaka, Ronaldo and Messi. They’re the three best players in the world and Wayne could easily get to that level with the right progress.
   Ferguson believes that Rooney’s marriage last year has also helped him mature as a player. ‘Marriage helps footballers,’ he said. ‘I’ve always been an advocate of players being married and settled down and you know where they are!’
   Rooney’s team-mate Jonny Evans agrees that the striker is in the form of his life.
   ‘He is a nightmare actually, especially when he is on your team because he is always complaining because he wants to win but that is what you want,’ Evans said.
   ‘He has had a great start to the season and scored a lot of goals and like the manager said he is playing in the middle now and that is probably his most dangerous position.’

The souring of Carlos Tevez’s relationship with Manchester United has been underlined by the Argentinian’s revelation that he will enthusiastically celebrate any goals he scores against them in the future.
   Now at Manchester City, Tevez won widespread praise for his discreet acknowledgements of his two goals in Monday night’s 3-1 win over West Ham, the club that brought him to England.
   Tevez was given a warm reception by the travelling Hammers fans, who remember him fondly for his role in keeping the east London club in the Premier League in 2006-07.
   United’s fans also took Tevez to their hearts during his time at Old Trafford but he was dismayed by the hostile reaction he received from them on his return for the Manchester derby earlier this month.
   ‘I decided not to celebrate my goals out of respect to West Ham,’ Tevez said. ‘They were my first club in England and, in my heart, part of me will always be a Hammer.
   ‘The professional part of me was really pleased with my first City goals at home but, personally, I would have preferred to beat another club.
   ‘In the derby against United I had also decided not to celebrate our goals but, after the bad treatment I received from the supporters that day, I have changed my stance on that. If I score in the next derby then I am sure that I will celebrate.’

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Jonny Evans is close to breaking up his first-choice defensive partnership of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
   Northern Ireland defender Evans, 21, was regularly involved last season after spending the previous campaign on loan at Sunderland.
   The centre back covered in Ferdinand’s regular injury-enforced absences and made a total of 32 appearances as United retained the Premier League and reached the Champions League final.
   He played a key role in the goalless draw at Inter Milan in the last 16, as well as playing against Porto and Arsenal in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.
   Ferdinand has again struggled with injury problems at the start of the current campaign and Evans has been a reliable deputy.
   Ferguson admits Evans’ fine form means that one day he will start key matches — even when both Ferdinand and Vidic are available.
   He said: ‘It is very difficult for me at the moment and I said to him last week that I don’t know if I am doing the right thing by him by leaving him out because his performance level has been so high that at times I have been unfair to him.
   ‘The one thing that justifies me leaving him out at times is the performance levels of the other centre-backs and their experience. Jonny is still young and has a great future ahead of him.
   ‘The time time will come. The one thing about football is that young players in particular they come back from one summer and they are a different player with a different physique and they tell you by their performance that it is time to go in.

Germany captain Michael Ballack insists his team will give everything they have to beat Russia in Moscow on October 10 and earn themselves an automatic place at the 2010 World Cup.
   Germany are just one point clear at the top of the Group Four table ahead of deadly rivals Russia, but should Ballack’s team beat the home side at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium they will be uncatchable.
   ‘We are devoting all our focus, energy and commitment to the match,’ said the Chelsea star.
   ‘We can’t let the artificial pitch be an excuse for us - we’ll just have to adapt to the conditions.
   ‘Russia have got a strong team and they have got results in the past, so we will have to be at our very best if we are to get something out of our trip to Moscow.
   ‘We’re confident that we will qualify directly for the World Cup, because we’re totally motivated for this match, well prepared and we know that we can get the right result.’
   Having turned 33 last week, Ballack has said he will consider retiring after next June’s World Cup and is eager to finish on a high having finished as runner-up in 2002 and then Germany came third in 2006.
   ‘Both World Cups were really tough for me emotionally as a player,’ said the former Bayern Munich star.
   ‘In 2002, we amazed everybody by getting to the final, and I scored the winners in the 1-0 victories in the quarter and semi-finals, only to be suspended for the final.
   ‘That was a bitter pill, it really was.
   ‘The atmosphere in 2006 was sensational.
   ‘For us players it was a unique experience, and I don’t think that the fans ever will forget that World Cup either.
   ‘Germany showed that we are a friendly nation who like to receive guests, and that was very important for our country’s international image.
   ‘It was a great World Cup, both on the pitch and in terms of the atmosphere all around the country and among football fans in particular.’
   Germany have a habit of turning on the style for the big tournaments and despite a poor start at Euro 2008 when they lost in the group stages to Croatia, they went on to lose 1-0 to Spain in the final.
   Coach Joachim Low is set to announce his squad for the trip to Moscow and the game against Finland in Hamburg on October 14 later this week.